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“Transparent” creator Jill Soloway doesn’t shy away from sharing her opinions — especially when it comes to standing up for the Lgbtq community. She’s at Sundance Film Festival with Kevin Bacon, Kathryn Hahn, Griffin Dunne and others to talk about their upcoming series “I Love Dick,” which she created. The new series about a married couple’s relationship put to the test after they both fall for the same professor will is set to premiere on Amazon on Friday, May 12. But Soloway also spoke to TheWrap about the forthcoming Trump era. Also Read: Lily Collins Anorexia Drama 'To the Bone' Strikes Raw Nerve at.

Emerging director Craig D. Foster has given insights into the making of his new horror/comedy, Overtime, which is set to open the St Kilda Film Festival.

The eight-minute short film, which stars Aaron Glenane, Adam Dunn, Arka Das and Anslie Clouston, is about a meek accountant, Ralph, who is forced to work overtime on the night of a full moon — which poses him a rather significant problem, given that he is also a werewolf.

Foster (writer/director/producer) tells If he wrote the film with his wife, Emma McKenna (producer/writer/editor), which was then taken through Metro Screen's Raw Nerve initiative.

Raw Nerve is an initiative funded by Screen Australia aimed at emerging filmmakers, enabling them to make a short film (5-7 mins) on digital video.

Every year, Raw Nerve gives three filmmaking teams, who have never previously produced or directed a film with full or partial...

Here’s the first trailer for James White, which marks the feature directorial debut of Josh Mond, who produced Martha Marcy May Marlene and Simon Killer. The film was a source of constant conversation at Sundance this year, where we all sadly missed every screening. Much of the talk about the film centered on the lead […]

The post ‘James White’ Trailer: Christopher Abbott Is Like a Raw Nerve in Sundance Success appeared first on /Film.

George Takei is speaking out about his war of words with William Shatner.

"It's not tension, it's all coming from Bill," Takei, 78, said in a recent interview with The New York Times Magazine. "Whenever he needs a little publicity for a project, he pumps up the so-called controversy between us."

It's no secret that the former Star Trek costars haven't gotten along in years. Though Shatner, 84, claimed that he was never invited to Takei's wedding in 2008, Takei insisted that he was.

"Two months after my wedding, he went on YouTube and ranted and raved about our not sending him an invitation,...

Screen Australia.s announcement last week that it will fund up to three short dramas, each budgeted at $70,000, in a new program entitled Hot Shots raised eyebrows in sections of the industry.

Five years ago the agency drew flak when it abolished short drama production funding, prompting an open letter from about 50 filmmakers.

.We feel the short film program is vitally important in kick-starting careers and developing new talent and thus should be retained,. said the letter signed by the likes of Angie Fielder, Matthew Dabner, Anne Robinson, Polly Staniford, Amiel Courtin-Wilson, Tim Maddocks, Beth Frey, Nicholas Verso and Nick Ball. .Many of us would not have made our start in this industry, or have any reasonable stature within it now as establishing producers, if not for this fund..

Some producers viewed the Hot Shots announcement as a major change of policy but that.s not the case, according to...

Screen Australia.s announcement last week that it will fund up to three short dramas, each budgeted at $70,000, in a new program entitled Hot Shots raised eyebrows in sections of the industry.

Five years ago the agency drew flak when it abolished short drama production funding, prompting an open letter from about 50 filmmakers.

.We feel the short film program is vitally important in kick-starting careers and developing new talent and thus should be retained,. said the letter signed by the likes of Angie Fielder, Matthew Dabner, Anne Robinson, Polly Staniford, Amiel Courtin-Wilson, Tim Maddocks, Beth Frey, Nicholas Verso and Nick Ball. .Many of us would not have made our start in this industry, or have any reasonable stature within it now as establishing producers, if not for this fund..

Some producers viewed the Hot Shots announcement as a major change of policy but that.s not the case, according to...

.I find it appalling that there is now so little funding for short films,. said Gillian Armstrong as last year.s Spaa conference. .Sadly, only three short films are to be funded in New South Wales this year, none at all from Screen Australia, and I don.t know what.s happening with Film Victoria, who used to lead the way..

When Gillian Armstrong took to the podium last November to discuss the future of filmmaking in Australia, she pointed to a decreasing amount of support for filmmakers starting out. Most notably, the decline in short film funding.

.The world.s contracted markedly,. says Metro Screen.s David Opitz. .There are fewer opportunities around for short film funding than there were over the last decade or so. Obviously, we feel that has a strong impact on the development of grassroots filmmaking. Those that we hope will go on and become...

A Los Angeles radio station debuted Depeche Mode's "Heaven" a day earlier than expected, sending the new single over the airwaves Wednesday morning.

The new track is firmly in the band's wheelhouse, which makes sense given that songwriter Martin Gore said he wanted to return the group to the sound of its best years.

Update: The track's video has been released -- take a look above.

“Writing this album was incredibly daunting as I wanted the sound of this collection to be very modern," Gore said in press materials announcing the band's upcoming album, "Delta Machine." "I want people to feel good about listening to this record, to get some kind of peace. It’s just got something magical about it."

Though a video is set to be released on Friday, the song's audio is currently only available at K-roq's website.

“With this release we’ve completely shifted our...

Jude Kuring of Prisoner fame is set to appear in a new Australian short film. Tasmanian production Little Lamb is a gothic thriller set in convict era Van Dieman.s land. The short film was supported by the Raw Nerve Initiative, which was run through WideAngle Tasmania and funded by Screen Australia. The script for Little Lamb comes from first time drama director Heidi Lee Douglas, who originally wrote it for the Stranger with my Face Film Festival women in horror Script Challenge in February 2012. After winning Best Script, Douglas teamed up with mentor, producer and veteran director Roger Scholes to make the film. .The film is ambitious because I wrote a great story not a low budget film. So when we decided to make it we had to figure out how to work with a lamb and a horse, build a barn, set fire to it and burn it,...

Arguably the best comedians are the ones who can catch you by surprise with a well-timed punch line you never saw coming. Of course there are those who rely more on absurd situations or keen observations, but even then that element of surprise plays a part. Nick Di Paolo has traces of that running through his Raw Nerve stand-up special, but the biggest surprise is how quickly he turns from a politically magnanimous comedian into one with an acidic tongue and a downright hateful edge to all his lines. His gruffly spoken sarcastic barbs start off neutral enough, but then he takes a quick turn into politics and his routine can easily alienate the portion of his audience that doesn’t agree with him.

Read more...

On Oct.13, 2011 William Shatner’s documentary ‘The Captains’ had a limited single day, single screening event across Canada in Cineplex theaters. So limited in fact, that even though you could purchase a ticket at the box office, some of the staff at the cinema had no idea it was playing in their own theater. If you happened to follow William Shatner’s twitter, you’d most likely have heard of this special event.

The Star Trek centered film follows Shatner as he interviews fellow Trek actors, reflecting on the life of Trek, from the perspective of the working actor.

For fans of Star Trek, this is a rare look at the life of the actors, who each played captains in different series. Patrick Stewart (Tng), Avery Brooks (DS9), Kate Mulgrew (Voyager), Scott Bakula (Enterprise), and Chris Pine (Star Trek). With guest appearances from Christopher Plummer, Jonathan Frakes, Nana Visitor.

It...

Genre: Sci-Fi | Documentary

Director: William Shatner

Writer: William Shatner

Cast: William Shatner, Patrick Stewart, Kate Mulgrew, Avery Brooks, Scott Bakula, Chris Pine

Summary:

Following one of the most engaging media personalities of our time, The Captains chronicles Shatner’s quest to answer one burning question: why, in spite of his myriad stage, screen, and television credits, as well as his numerous Emmys and Golden Globe Awards, does one role in his career loom so large that it nearly eclipses all others? To find the answer, Shatner enlists the help of the elite group of actors who have also assumed the mantle of Starship Captain. In the process, coupling their own unique stories with compelling insights, the five Captains give Shatner a better understanding of his own life and solve this “mystery” once and for all.

Featuring vintage Star Trek footage and in-depth interviews with actors Patrick Stewart (Captain Jean-Luc Picard...

Short film Switch, written and directed by Phoebe Hartley, produced by Brendan Lee and executive produced by Marc Gracie has headed into production.

The project is one of three scripts funded by Screen Australia and Open Channel as part of Victoria’s screen resource centre’s 2011 Raw Nerve short film production initiative.

The ten minute drama is set in an outer suburban skateboard park and explores the mounting tension between two sisters in one afternoon that changes everything. The cast includes Tangle‘s Lucia Emmerichs, Neighbour‘s Dylan Russell and Quinn Cameron.

Writer/director Phoebe Hartley said in a statement, “The enthusiasm of our youthful actors is infectious. We’re having a ball rehearsing at the skateboard park location and watching Dylan do his stuff on the half-pipe. It’s wonderful to have such support when making a short film: from the industry bodies, from Knox City Council, and from our crew members,...

William Shatner is a hero, an icon, a legend, a source of great and everlasting joy. A top-notch film director, however, he is not.

The True Captain’s previous feature work includes the one Trek flick I’d like to excised from canon (“marshmellons”) and the shockingly ready-for-MST3K train wreck Groom Lake. Mr. Shatner does have a distinct talent for the, how shall one call it, unique interview style. Sadly, there’s not too much you can learn from a one-on-one with Valerie Bertanelli as on his show Raw Nerve, so kudos to whomever put the idea in his head to set down with the other leaders of the Trek franchise and make The Captains.

In short: it’s a pisser. A really strange pisser. For hardcore Trekkies, hearts will sing during Shatner’s rap with Patrick Stewart. After a volley of mutual admiration, Stewart admits that Shatner’s...

William Shatner is a hero, an icon, a legend, a source of great and everlasting joy. A top-notch film director, however, he is not.

The True Captain’s previous feature work includes the one Trek flick I’d like to excised from canon (“marshmellons”) and the shockingly ready-for-MST3K train wreck Groom Lake. Mr. Shatner does have a distinct talent for the, how shall one call it, unique interview style. Sadly, there’s not too much you can learn from a one-on-one with Valerie Bertanelli as on his show Raw Nerve, so kudos to whomever put the idea in his head to set down with the other leaders of the Trek franchise and make The Captains.

In short: it’s a pisser. A really strange pisser. For hardcore Trekkies, hearts will sing during Shatner’s rap with Patrick Stewart. After a volley of mutual admiration, Stewart admits that Shatner’s...

There’s a reason Cee Lo‘s last album was called The Ladykiller. It’s not because he kills ladies (we hope), but because he is obviously a very smooth talker. If you’ve heard him speak on The Voice, it’s evident that not only is he a crazyass horndog, but he’s a crazyass horndog who can articulate his feelings with a certain lilt to his tone that makes you want to give the guy a big bear hug (or, if you’re a lady, possibly doing so to his other bald head) (his penis). Cee Lo has a show on Fuse called Cee Lo Green: Talking To Strangers, where he sits down with musicians — it’s basically Shatner’s Raw Nerve without William Shatner being a delusional creepster. Although he recently sat down with Kelly Rowland, whom we can all agree is gorgeous. If you were...

William Shatner seems to expand his resume about as many times as he narrowly escaped death on the original Star Trek tv series. TV guest star (Twilight Zone, Outer Limits), TV star (Star Trek, T.J. Hooker, Boston Legal, $#*! My Dad Says), movie star (Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Star Trek II-vi, Star Trek: Generations, Miss Congeniality), as well as writer, director, producer, voice artist, talk show host, author. Now he has added “documentarian” to the list. The Captains is, as you might have guessed, a documentary about the captains of the Star Trek multiverse.

This documentary seems almost like a companion piece to The Biography Channel’s The Captains of the Final Frontier (2010). He must have been familiar with it, given that he has had two series on that channel (Aftermath with William Shatner, Shatner’s Raw Nerve). That documentary was about the Trek franchise and featured interviews with actors,...

Showtime is letting Nick Di Paolo unleash his caustic observations in a new stand-up special. The comedian -- known for his cutting commentary on Comedy Central's celebrity roasts -- will star in his first hour-long comedy special, "Nick Di Paolo Raw Nerve," which will premiere on Showtime April 30 at 9 p.m. "Raw Nerve," which was filmed at Comix in Connecticut's Foxwoods Resort Casino, is being co-executive produced by Di Paolo, and Brian Volk-Weiss and Barry Katz of New Wave Dynamics. An accompanying digital album of the same name will be released on...

Remember the talk show Shatner’s Raw Nerve? Thought about Carl Reiner a lot in the past couple days? If you said “no” to both questions as all humans not related to either person in those questions would almost assuredly say, then it doesn’t matter, watch this clip anyway, it’s ridiculous and has nothing to do with anything. Joe Mande has strategically re-edited a long, rambly Carl Reiner response for no reason, and the result is inexplicable internet hilarity. I cannot stress enough how on the internet this video is: Carl Reiner’s Raw Nerve from Joe Mande on Vimeo.

Photo by Pop Culture Passionistas

You didn’t have to be the world’s biggest Star Trek fan to enjoy the cast reunionat the recent Hollywood Xpo at the Burbank-adjacent Universal City Hilton. Agroup of cast members gathered there on Friday in support of the three-part webseries Star Trek: Of Gods and Generals.

Among the franchise stars, who were present at theconvention on Friday were J.G. Hertzler, HerbJefferson, William Wellman, Daamen Krall, Grace Lee Whitney, Nichelle Nichols, andWalter Koenig. Also on hand was Tim Russ, who starred in Of Gods and Generals as Tuvok and also directed the video.

Walter Koenig, who has portrayed Pavel Chekovfor decades, was leery of signing on to the StarTrek project. He explained, “Initially I wasn’t thatenthusiastic about doing Chekov yet again in a situation where there wasn’tgoing to be any remunerative side to it. And I thought, ‘I’ve already doneit.

William Shatner is a rare bird. Obviously, there’s theintensity of his performances that sets him apart stylistically from otheractors. But there are also very few stars that have had the kind of success he’shad on TV—and in so many genres to boot.

First there’s the sci-fi, cult classic Star Trek, whichspawned a legacy of Trekkies that is unparalleled in TV show fandom before orsince. Then he cornered the legal drama market playing Denny Craig on BostonLegal. He’s even given the talk show his own Shat-spin with the sometimespainfully probing Raw Nerve.

But tonight, Bill tackles the sitcom. Besides a turn as theBig Giant Head on 3rd Rock from the Sun and a very memorable appearance onSaturday Night Live in ‘86, the Shakespearean-trained thespian,hasn’t really done a lot of multi-camera comedy.

So will $#*! My Dad Says (based on the wildly popular Facebook page of the...

Fox Look, a new unit of Fox Networks Group that specializes in unscripted projects, has inked distribution deals with four Emmy-winning U.S.-based format producers: Craig Piligian, Andrew Glassman, Scott Sternberg and Scott Satin. Under the agreements, Fox Look will rep selected formats on the international market, beginning with the upcoming Mipcom trade show in Cannes.

Piligian helped transform reality TV as executive producer of CBS' "Survivor" and went on to produce "Dirty Jobs," which has aired on Discovery for five seasons; "The Ultimate Fighter," now heading into season 12 on Spike TV; and the paranormal franchise "Ghost Hunters," now in its sixth season on Syfy.

Glassman's showreel includes NBC's "Average Joe," which attracted 25 million viewers to its first season finale, and "Three Wishes," named "the most family friendly show on broadcast television."

Since 1991, Sternberg has produced a slew of game, reality and talk show formats, including "Raw Nerve With William Shatner,...

Not only will master thespian William Shatner star in the CBS sitcom $#*! My Dad Says this fall and host Raw Nerve on the Biography channel, he will also direct a feature-length documentary about his early career in Canada as well as his rise to fame as Captain Kirk entitled The Captains. The doc will start production this July, and is scheduled to air in winter 2011 on Canada’s Movie Central Channel. The network has also slated a fall airdate for Gonzo Ballet, a documentary that chronicles the ballet based on Shatner’s album Has Been with Ben Folds. More info on The Captains after the jump.

Whether it will air in the Us has not yet been announced, but we can only pray it does. The film is being produced by Shatner’s own Melis Productions and Balinran Productions Limited. I think we can all rest assured this will be awesome,...

Boris Kodjoe is 37 today. The Hollywood heartthrob was last seen in 2009’s Surrogates, opposite Bruce Willis (a forgettable movie), and has 3 projects in various stages of production, notably his starring role in wunderkind director/producer J.J. Abrams’ upcoming TV actioner, Undercover, which has been described as Mr & Mrs Smith meets The Bourne Identity.

Cheryl “Salt” James from the 80s/90s all-girl rap group Salt-n-Pepa, is 46 years old today! Wow! Time sure flies doesn’t it? I’m sitting here thinking she’s in her late 30s. Cheryl has done a bit of acting here and there, over the years, but nothing memorable. She last played a Puerto Rican detective in a Mario Van Peebles straight-to-dvd movie in 2000 titled Raw Nerve. Anybody see it? On TV, there was The Salt-n-Pepa Show reality TV program in 2007, and lately, she’s been hanging out with Pepa on her own reality TV show titled Let’s Talk About Pep,...

It'll be a feast for the eyes for anyone who loves to watch doughy, puffed up, bombastic old men when Rush Limbaugh sits down with William Shatner on the Biography Channel series, Raw Nerve.

Airing this Sunday after taping last summer, the Shatner Vs. Limbaugh clash touches on everything from family background to health care. But the exchange looks like a couple aging members of a country club debating stock tips at the 19th hole.

I have no interest in the inevitable political jibber-jabber headed our way Sunday. But, I'd love to see these two square off over who gets the last piece of lasagna. The fatty grunts alone would blow out your TV speakers.

Continue reading Shatner takes on Limbaugh on upcoming Raw Nerve

 

Filed under: Other Reality Shows, Celebrities, Star Trek: Original Series

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Established 1974! Our news column is still trying to catch up with Thanksgiving leftovers.

Sf TV

Syfy has ordered yet another new series—this one chronicling a town where everyone has unusual abilities. No, not Eureka! This is Haven, derived from Stephen King’s recent paperback original The Colorado Kid (published by Hard Case Crime).

Syfy has requested 13 episodes set in this supernatural (as opposed to science fictional) community. Production begins early next year.

Updates

William Shatner’s talk show returns this weekend on the Bio Channel for a second season. It’s Shatner’S Raw Nerve.

Speaking of many happy returns (and as previously noted), NBC’s Chuck resurfaces on January 10 (special night) and 11 (regular time slot) with ABC’s Lost coming back February 2. Now, it looks as if V will return to ABC with the rest of its initial season (nine episodes) in March. No exact date yet. Ratings,...

Writer/director Jed Strahm got in touch to tell us about his new chiller Knifepoint, which just wrapped principal photography, and serve up some exclusive pics (see them below). It’s a vicious home-invasion film revolving around Abbie (Katherine Randolph) and her wheelchair-bound sister, Michele (Krista Braun). On Christmas Eve, their apartment is broken into by Jess (Grant Reynolds), his sister Lorraine (Kym Jackson) and their host of criminal followers. When the girls’ parents arrive as a holiday surprise, however, the situation further spirals out of control. Leatherface’s R.A. Mihailoff co-stars; Toolbox Murders’ Dean Jones created the makeup FX.

Strahm tells Fango that, like many genre projects, Knifepoint had its inspiration in its creator’s own worst fears. “The story stemmed from my greatest dread: awakening in the middle of the night to discover that someone has entered my home and is looming over my bed. My feeling is...

Few things give me as much pleasure in life as speaking with William Shatner. I’ve interviewed him before and, I hope, will one day get to chat with the man in person. Today’s call was part of the promo push for the DVD re-release of Groom Lake, a film Shatner shot in 2001. I won’t lie to you, Groom Lake isn’t exactly the man’s finest hour. But it is a decent enough Area 51 story that features Shatner hiding in a space suit, Dick Van Patton launching rockets from behind a bank of iMacs and a glowing, near-naked geriatric. I think Groom Lake is best seen with a group of friends and a fun, forgiving atmosphere. Shatner discusses the film a bit, muses a bit, and also gives us an Exclusive Scoop about which controversial man from his past will be joining him on Shatner’s Raw Nerve.

There are times when dreams really do come true. I am currently walking on air as I just had a phone conversation with one of my all time heroes, Captain James Tiberius Kirk a/k/a T.J Hooker a/k/a Denny Crane a/k/a Dr. Rack Hanson (from Kingdom of the Spiders, fool!) a/k/a the Priceline Negotiator a/k/a the dude from Rescue 911. I have talked to William Shatner, indeed, I even made him laugh, and a big red check mark has gone on my bucket list. A transcript. Ugo: Hello Mr. Shatner! How are you, sir? Ws: I am so well, what about yourself? Ugo:Well today has been a great day. Ws: Well isn’t that wonderful? What happened? Ugo: Well I’m living here in New York, and the weather’s starting to get cold, which is nice, because it means Christmas is coming.

Variety reports that Dimension has greenlighted 18 new features for 2009 release under its Extreme DVD label via Genius Products. Almost all of them are horror films, and most of them are sequels.

Included in the slate are further entries in the Feast franchise (pictured), as well as a pair of follow-ups to Midnight Man, the directorial debut of Feast co-scripter Marcus Dunstan, which focuses on a villain called the Exterminator and has been picked up for disc release by Dimension. Also on the way: more Children Of The Corn flicks, an original zombie opus called Dead By Daylight from the Raw Nerve company, continuations of this year’s biker actioner Hell Ride and a comedy called Last Man Standing. The upcoming Piranha 3-D and latest Halloween may also generate Extreme sequels.

“There are so many non-theatrical platforms to watch movies from nowadays, I think it’s important to appeal to all moviegoing experiences,...

It was announced tonight that the Weinstein Co.s Dimension Films is greenlighting a batch of 18 direct-to-video pics for 2009 release. Within the release it was revealed that extensions of Children Of The Corn (not to be confused with the Sci-Fi Channel remake), Feast (with a third already having been filmed) and Hell Ride are in the works. Also on the docket are Dead By Daylight, a zombie pic from Raw Nerve, the production entity behind the Hostel pics; and two sequels to Marcus Dunstan's Midnight Man, which focus on a villain called the Exterminator dreamed up by the creators of Feast, Saw IV and Saw V. The biggie is that upcoming Dimension theatricals such as Piranha 3-D and the next Halloween installment will likely spawn direct-to-disc sequels for their Extreme label. Big things are coming for horror!

We’re now officially at the stage where anything you see in our genre that comes out from The Weinstein Co. or Dimension Extreme, you can expect some kind of prequel or sequel to it within a short window of time. Variety reports this morning that the Weinsteins have just greenlighted a batch of 18 direct-to-video pics for release in 2009.

Specific titles mentioned in the article include two sequels to Marcus Dunstan’s directorial debut, Midnight Man, which will focus on a character known as The Exterminator, and a zombie pic from Raw Nerve called Dead by Daylight. Wow, I didn’t even know Raw Nerve were still around...

The article mentions that upcoming Dimension theatrical titles like the second Halloween and Alexandre Aja’s Pirahna 3-D will likely produce more titles for the direct-to-dvd line. Hopefully we’ll have more details as to just what films are being planned very soon so stick around!